Straightening apparatus for vehicle bodies

ABSTRACT

A horizontally disposed frame adapted to support a damaged vehicle and which frame is formed so as to facilitate pulling and pushing operations on the vehicle body and frame. The main portions of the frame are prestressed to provide a compressive stress in the lower fibers thereof and a tensile stress in the upper fibers so that greater upwardly directed forces on the ends of the frame may be resisted than can be resisted by a nonprestressed frame. The vehicle support is formed so as to facilitate applying pulling and pushing forces on the body and frame of the vehicle. The formation of the vehicle support also adapts it to use with various types of attachments employed to anchor the load bearing members which exert the forces on the vehicle.

United States, Patent 1191 1111 3,777,541

Whitney 1 Dec. 11, 1973 STRAIGHTENING APPARATUS FOR 3,496,757 2/1970 Wanpouille 72 705 VEHICLE BODIES Dob1as 72/705 [76] Inventor: Walter D. Whitney, 1420 Industrial Primary Examiner charles Lanham San Carlos Cahf' Assistant Examiner-M. J. Keenan. [22] Filed: Oct. 4, 1971 A rney-Gordon Wood [21] Appl. No.: 185,970 [57] ABSTRACT A horizontally disposed frame adapted to support a U-S. Cl. damaged vehicle and which frame is formed so as to [5 lift. facihtatg and pushing operations on the vehicle F1eld of Search 72/705, 3 8, body and frame. The main portions of the frame are 72/311, 52/223 prestressed to provide a compressive stress in the j lower fibers thereof and a tensile stress in the upper References Cited fibers so that greater upwardly directed forces on the UNITED STATES PATENTS ends of the frame may be resisted than can be resisted 3,518,867 7 1970 Rouis 72/389. by a non-pfestfessed frame- The vehicle pp is 2,039,398 5/1936 Dye 52/223 R formed SO as to facilitate pp y P g and P g 3,626,747 12/1971 Rouis 72/453 forces on the body and frame of the vehicle. The for- 3,050,099 1962 S th 72/705 mation of the vehicle support alsoadapts it to use with 2,442,425 6/1948 Merrlll 613.1 72/705 various types of attachments employed to anchor the 2,717,020 9/1955 Dob1as 72/705 load bearing members which exam the forces on h 1,907,925 5/1933 \Vochner 72/705 vehicle 3,630,066 12/1971 Chisum .72/305 3,625,047 12/1971 Lunardm 72/705 1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures 4 [4/ z0 ya 2/ 1 Z2 Z5 55 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 r 2 4|? 2;? 1 1 I j 4 -/3 is I 4 57 m Z5 1 -U-LL :1 1 A M 1 1 1U 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 T! 1 42 20 4/ 4g 2/ 4/ Z2 Z5 1 .pushing and pulling operations to be performed onthi body and the frame of such vehicle.

"The main object of the present inventionsis the provision of a vehicle supporting frame which permits r greater forces to be applied tothe frame during pushing andpulling operations on the vehicle than hasheretofore been possible.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a relatively inexpensive and readily fabricated frame which is formed so as to simplify the attachment of various devices adapted for use in straighteningportions of adamagedvehicle includingthe bodyrand frame of such vehicle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention willbe apparent from the following specification and from the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the vehicle supporting frame.

FIG. 2 is a semischematic side elevation of themain base portion of the frame showing the same in its deformed condition prior to and during the securement by welding thereto of the upper portion of the frame.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of the completed frame of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged transverse sectional view through one side of the frame as taken in a plane indicated by lines 4--4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged sectional view through one end of the frame and through a portable attachment thereon which serves as an anchor for a chain or other tension member.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the frame of FIG. 1 showing an L-shaped wheeled auxiliary frame used with the invention.

In detail and referring first to FIGS. 1, 3 the invention comprises a relatively large generally rectangular frame having longitudinally extending mainframe members 10, 11 which are preferably formed from heavy wall rectangular tubing (see FIG.4). The main end members 12, 13 are formed of similar material and are welded at their ends to the longitudinally extending side members 10, 11 so as to form a rectangular base portion of the frame.

In order to enhance the resistance ofthe frame to bending that may be caused by the relatively heavy forces that are necessarily employed the above described base portion of the frame is prestressedso as to place the upper fibers in tension and the lower fibers in compression. This is accomplished'by supporting the base portion of the frame at its center as indicated schematically in FIG. 2 and pulling downwardly at the ends until a substantial prestressed condition has been achieved. While the base portion of the frame is in this prestressed condition the upper portion of the frame is welded thereto. Such upper portion will now be described.

At spaced points along the length of the frame relatively heavy transversely extending members 15, l6, 17 are provided and their ends welded to the upper sides of spaced frame members 10, 11. While the members 10, 11 are still in their prestressed condition intermediate upper frame members 20, 21, 22, 23 are welded at their ends to said transverse members 15, 1 6, 17 as shown in FIG. 1. In addition inner transverse members 24, 25 are welded at their ends tothe adjacent intermediate members and at the same time are spaced upwardly from the upper surface of the base frame members by spacers 28(FIG. 3) which are welded top and bottom to saidintermediate members and to the base frame members 10, 11. In addition outer frame members 30, 31 are also welded to similar spacers 28 along "their lower sides so that a rigid connection is obtained among all of the frame members. After the upper portion of the framehas thus been assembled and welded to the lower base portion then the forces indicated the frame to' resist greater upwardly directed loads without failure than would be possible if a prestressed condition were notimposed on the base frame members1l0, 11. Furthermore it will be seen that the increasein height of the frame member by the incorporation of the upper frame members greatly increases the section modulus of the rigid assembled frame so as to better withstand the loads imposed on it. As will be pointed out later on the particular form of the disclosed frame not only strengthens the same but permits ready securement of various attachments which are employed in straightening operations on vehicles.

In order to raise the frame to a convenient height to permit the workers to work on the vehicles, legs 35 may be. provided, at each of the four corners of the frame and, if desired, casters 36 may be provided so that the frame and the vehicle thereon may be readily moved to a convenient location. In order to permit placing the .vehicle on the frame a plurality of tread sections 37 are provided and these extend between the transverse members 15, 16,17 and the inner end, frame members 24, 25. In addition inclined ramps 38 (FIG. 3) are supported at one end on the floorand at the other end on the outer end frame members 30, 31. These tread members 37 and the ramps 38 are readily movable transversely of the frame in order to suit the particular spacing between the wheels of the vehicle and unused tread sections may be removed in order to permit ready access to the vehicle.

Fixedly secured as by welding to the inner sides of the longitudinally extending main frame members'llt), 11 are similar but smaller inner members All), 41 which are provided along their inner upper edges with fixed flat bars 42 constituting a track for slidably receiving thereon movable beams generally designated 45. Three of such movable beams are shown in FIG. 1 but it will be understood that the number may vary depending on the requirements of the user and the size of the frame. As best seen in FIG. 4 the movable beams 45 comprise a pair of longitudinally spaced apart transversely extending boxed frame members 46,47 which are connected at their opposite ends by welding to channel members 48 with the upper flanges of the channel members resting on the tracks 42. To prevent excessive lateral shifting of the movable beams 45 a short pin 50 is welded to the underside ofthe outer end of the upper flange of each channel member 48. The track 42 may be interrupted by a slot (not shown) at a point along the length of the track so as to permit installation of the movable beams 45. However aside from said slot the tracks 42 may extend the full length of the inner members 40.

One function of the movable beams 45 is to adjustably receive thereon a twist bar generally designated 52 (FIG. 4). This twist bar 52 is slidably received within a generally rectangular sleeve 53 which is supported at its lower end on one of the movable beams 45. Fixedly secured as by welding to sleeve 53 is a downwardly extending flat bar 54 which is provided adjacent its lower end with a rectangular opening 55 into which a wedge (not shown) may be driven. The twist bar 52 is provided along its length with a plurality of holes 57 and the opposite sides of sleeve 53 are similarly provided with holes so that a pin 58 may be passed through the sleeve and the twist bar 52 to position the upper end of the twist bar in the required position to provide a backup anchor for any desired portion of the frame or body.

Another use for the movable beams 45 is illustrated in FIG. 6 wherein a-wheeled L-shaped frame 60 is employed in conjunction with a pulling device 61 for exerting a pulling effort to the left as seen in FIG. 6. The L-shaped frame 60 and the pulling device 61 are described in detail in US. Pat. No. 3,398,565. By the present invention the horizontal leg 62 of the frame 60 is provided with a plurality of horizontally extending holes 63 and is adapted to receive thereon an inverted channel shaped saddle 64 both legs of which are provided with holes 65 adapted to register with holes 63 in leg 62 so as to permit adjustable positioning of the saddle 64 along the length of said leg 62. Fixedly secured to the upper side of saddle 64 is an upstanding bracket 66 which includes an upper horizontally projecting flange 67 adapted to fit over the top of one of the upper frame members above described. Slidably received on the outer end of the leg 62 is a sleeve 70 provided on its upper side with an upwardly extending threaded rod 71 which extends through the space between the boxed frame members 46,47 of one of the movable means 45. By providing a heavy washer plate 72 on the upper side of the movable beam and tightening a nut 73 on rod 71 to raise the outer end of the leg 72 off the floor ample resistance to downward movement of said outer end of the leg 72 is provided.

By the above described structure it will be seen that bracket 66 prevents downward and inward movement of the frame 60 and the rod 71 resists the downward force exerted on the upper end of the leg 62. In this manner resistance to the horizontally directed pull indicated schematically at 74 which is exerted on the vertical leg of frame 60 is adequately resisted as is the relatively large couple tending to swing the frame 60 in a clockwise direction about its inner ground wheels 75.

The above described frame lends itself to use with a conventional pulling chain such as that shown in FIG. 4. In this case the chain 78 may be connected at one end (not shown) by means of a hook or a shackle to the portion of the frame on which tension is to be exerted. The other end of the chain may be passed through the slot which is formed between the lower base frame members 10, ll, 12 and 13 and the upper frame members which are designated 20, 21, 22, 23, 30, 31; said space extending substantially around the entire periphery of the frame. In the particular case shown in FIG. 4. it will be apparent that a shackle or U-bolt 79 may be employed to fixedly secure the chain to the frame. A similar result may be obtained by means of a bracket such as that shown in FIG. 5. In this case the bracket generally designated 80 provides an anchor in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 4. Said bracket 80 includes a relatively heavy front plate 81 provided with an aperture 82 for receiving a chain or like tension member therethrough. A pair of side plates 83 are welded to front plate 81 and to a base plate 84. To the side edge of base plate 84 opposite front plate 81 a rear plate 86 is welded at its upper end to base plate 84 and is provided at its lower end with an integral flange 87 which extends under one of the main lower frame members such as frame member 13 shown in FIG. 5. The upper sides of frame members 25, 31 (or 24, 30) provide a firm base for the bracket 80 and the lower flange 87 adequately resists the couple exerted on the frame by the force indicated at 88.

It will be noted that the upwardly opening space between frame members 24, 30 and between frame members 25, 31 may also be employed to receive a tension member such as chain 78 therethrough for resisting upwardly directed forces when it is desired to tie down the vehicle frame at one point thereof. In such a case the chain 78 may be used in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 4.

It will be seen that the above described frame provides optimum strength for the relatively large forces that are normally exerted thereon and at the same time the form of the frame lends itself to use with various attachments providing flexibility in the carrying out of the operations required in straightening vehicle frames and bodies.

I claim: 1. Apparatus for straightening vehicle frames comprising:

a generally rectangular vehicle support, said support including a first pair of elongated longitudinally extending members prestressed to provide a compressive stress in the lower fibers thereof and a tensile stress in the upper fibers thereof, and

means for permanently holding said members in said prestressed condition to enhance the ability of said support to resist upwardly directed forces at its ends,

said last mentioned means including a second pair of longitudinally extending members spaced upwardly from the upper sides of said first members, and spacers interposed between said first and second members and fixedly secured thereto to provide longitudinally extending slots between said first and second members.

bodies and 

1. Apparatus for straightening vehicle bodies and frames comprising: a generally rectangular vehicle support, said support including a first pair of elongated longitudinally extending members prestressed to provide a compressive stress in the lower fibers thereof and a tensile stress in the upper fibers thereof, and means for permanently holding said members in said prestressed condition to enhance the ability of said support to resist upwardly directed forces at its ends, said last mentioned means including a second pair of longitudinally extending members spaced upwardly from the upper sides of said first members, and spacers interposed between said first and second members and fixedly secured thereto to provide longitudinally extending slots between said first and second members. 